英語教材の企画・編集プロダクション ジャストライトスタジオジャパン

新聞社インターン時の執筆記事

About my boss at Just Write Communications

When I started writing columns about differences between Japan and the United States for the editorial page of The Times Record, I received many responses from readers. One of them, Nancy E. Randolph, was the first reader that contacted me after my first column ran.

Nancy and I talked on the phone for the first time. She said, "I lived in Aomori (Japan) as a navy journalist / FEN narrator, before you were born." She also told about her design / editing office, Just Write Communications. Soon, I became interested in her career, and made appointment to meet her.

We became good friends naturally. I think we share many interests. She has her own ideas about ecology, politics, and international matters, reads many books, and uses difficult vocabularies for me. I sometimes felt, her way of thinking is like my real mother's. Actually, she was really like my mother in the US. Since I did not know anything about domestic affairs, I learned many things in the US for the first time. I learned cooking from Nancy and used cookbooks written in English. She taught me how to make miso soup, how to clean the bathtub with the safe cleanser, how to choose good vegetables, fruits, chickens at supermarkets, how to combine family life and career, and so many things.

She was an understanding supervisor, my role model in the similar career field. If I did not meet Nancy, I would not think of starting my editing business. I was always impressed her making phone calls to explore new clients regularly, her presentation skills, and her doing everything. I remember we painted walls of her office when she located the business to the present location. It was a lot of fun.

Moreover, I was lucky to learn the American way to solve problems from her, because I think each country has a preferable way to solve problems. When I had to confirm the necessity of my move to my internship agent, I talked to my supervisors as usual. They both suggested the same thing - writing a letter to the agent. So I learned writing letters was the common way to solve problems in the US. Nancy also added, "If it does not work, I will introduce my attorney to you." And Jim added that I should send the letter by registered mail, return receipt requested. Other friends all over the world including my high school and college friends in the US, gave me assistance and encouragement, which enabled me to face and solve the problem.